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A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have joined tribes, be they religious, ethnic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). It’s our nature. Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger and enabling new tribes to be born―groups of ten or ten million who care about a political campaign, or a new way to fight global warming.

Who is going to lead all these tribes? The Web can do amazing things, but it can’t provide leadership. That still has to come from individuals―people just like you who have passion about something. Anyone who wants to make a difference now has the tools at their fingertips.

If you think leadership is for other people, think again―leaders come in surprising packages. Ignore an opportunity to lead and you risk turning into a “sheepwalker”―someone who fights to protect the status quo at all costs, never asking if obedience is doing you (or your organization) any good. Sheepwalkers don’t do very well these days.

Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities for leading your fellow employees, customers, investors, believers, hobbyists, readers…. It's not easy, but it's easier than you probably imagine.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Tribes is a must read for all of us. It's up to each one of us to lead in today's new kind of world."

Former U.S. senator Bill Bradley

"Tribes is a short book--only 147 pages. But its short size belies its true importance. As I read it, I was literally underlining every other sentence. I went through two hi-lighters before I finished!This is one of the most important books I have read this year. I highly recommend it."Michael Hyatt

"Tribes is a short book—only 147 pages. But its short size belies its true importance. As I read it, I was literally underlining every other sentence. I went through two hi-lighters before I finished!" —Michael Hyatt, author of Platform and Living Forward

"Tribes is a must read for all of us. It’s up to each one of us to lead in today’s new kind of world.” —Former U.S. senator Bill Bradley

"Godin...is uniquely respected for his understanding of the Internet, and his essays and opinions are widely read and quoted on and off." —Forbes

"Godin is endlessly curious, opinionated, and knowledgeable on a wide variety of subjects. He is a relentless marketer…and also a clear-eyed visionary."—Miami Herald
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Top customer reviews

Seth posits that technology has given the common person certain advantages that were historically available only to the elite. Today, an average person can--with ease--communicate an idea near instantly to the masses. These new, unconventional leaders can now build a "tribe" around a cause or idea. People, Seth argues, are by their very nature attracted to tribes and rally around a cause in which they believe.

But like any of Seth's books, this work is not without its criticisms....

First, the book often seems like a disjointed combination of (sometimes ranting) blogs. Second, many will be offended by these rants. For example, he uses an extended metaphor "organized religion" (bad) as opposed to "faith" (good), and identifies the modern leader as the "heretic" (also good). These stereotypical and shallow viewpoints are backed up with no true research or even deep thinking.

In the end, however, Seth is on to something. And as usual with Seth, he is on to something big. Technology allows for leaders to rise as quickly and as high as their own ideas can take them. Conventional bodies of social capital such as families, civic memberships, unions, etc. are dissolving. Tribes such as Tea Parties and Occupy Wall Street spring from nowhere to replace the old guard. These new tribes can dramatically change traditional organizations, or even in some cases, end them.

In this new era, it is more important than ever for leaders to lead. And Seth stands at the gate, pointing the way. For anyone in business, or anyone with a passing interest in modern American society, this is a book not to be missed.

While some references are becoming a bit dated, and the online context has evolved, maybe even matured a bit, the core message of this book is still very much relevant. Both challenging and inspirational.

I'm currently building a course for our clients to help them take things to the next level. This book helped me identify areas of inspiration, leadership, and community. One of my biggest takeaways from the book is around the idea of criticism. Seth writes that you cannot have success without critics yelling at you from the cheap seats. You'll know you're onto something when people criticize. In fact your community (tribe) will demand that you take a stand, be bold, and let criticism roll right off your back.

This book provoked me to think about how I go about doing things. It provoked me to reexamine what I've been doing. It provoked me to view the world with a different lens. Who could want more from a book!?! Thanks Seth for sharing your experiences and wisdom in provoking me to think anew. You can count on me as a member of your tribe. To the readers of this review, I invite you to come along and join too. Don't be a sheep walker!

I was surprised by this short book. I can't tell you exactly what I was expecting, maybe something more step-by-step or more"business-y" but I liked it. It made me think and I even wrote a blog post based on the concepts presented. It is a quick read but definitely worth reading.

Many great thoughts. Some ideology that isn't consistent with Judeo-Christian beliefs but many and I would say, most ideas would translate to belief-based organizations. I have to go back through and highlight quite a few portions of this book. If you are a thinking-about-it church planter then please read this book!

Tribes, by Seth Godin, is a short, motivational book that ultimately attempts to encourage its readers to be the leaders they were born to be. The audience can be anyone, as long as they have some interest or passion in a topic that can be shared with others. Godin's objective is to express to his readers that the world is in dire need of people who are passionate about a cause, and will strive to make an impact in the world, leaving a mark on others. He expresses that tribes are seen in everyday life, whether we are aware of it or not. Tribes can be found in music groupies, people who work for the same company, those who share a hobby, or follow a celebrity or politician on twitter; basically, tribes can be found everywhere. Godin believes that anyone can lead a tribe, especially if the tribe revolves around something that is a shared interest. In today's world, the Internet facilitates the creation and communication needed to maintain a tribe. In tribal world, nothing is more important than communication; it is key to the formation and preservation of tribes, and without it, a tribe will eventually reach its end. Godin also speaks out to those who have no yearning to be a leader. He encourages this audience to be a follower by finding a shared interest and joining a tribe that may lead to bettering life, as we know it. To put it simply, the worst type of person is one who does nothing.

When I first began Tribes, I was immediately impressed by Godin's ability to inspire me to be a better person and change the world. However, I found as I continued to read, there were things Godin discusses that irritate me, and somehow began to lessen my desire to stand up and become a tribe leader. There is a small chunk of the book that discusses religion and faith. While I understand where the author was going with this, I found myself feeling uncomfortable and annoyed that he decided to bring such a sensitive subject into his text. I am also now under the assumption that Godin has an issue with those who work in the managerial field. More than once I found myself shaking my head, unimpressed with the frequent, negative connotations he was making about managers. It seemed as if Godin believes that while managers may be leaders of others, they don't go above and beyond their expectations to make a pressing change. While I'm sure in some of these instances Godin makes justified statements, I felt as if many were biased and judgmental, which unfortunately diminished his credibility from my perspective.

Luckily for Godin, despite my displeasure with a few sections of his work, I enjoyed this book overall. To me, Tribes seems very conversational. It is an easy-to-read, motivational book about standing up for something you believe in and making a difference. I feel as if Godin did a great job at communicating the purpose of the book, and his passion for the subject made his words believable and convincing. Godin uses very realistic and relatable examples to prove how tribes exist in everyday life; these examples range far and wide and can be applicable to any reader.

I also feel this book is much like a positive, self-help book. Godin doesn't just stick an idea in readers' heads, but instead tells them how to start a tribe and achieve a goal. In many cases, this might be just the information that some people are searching for. It even goes as far as addressing reasons as to why some people may be resistant against leadership positions, and the difficulties of taking the initiative of starting a tribe. He points out things that are potential concerns, but then gives methods of conquering each along the way. Basically, Godin puts everything on the table, and that makes this book sincere and inspiring. This is very much a book that makes you feel the need to stop reading, get out of bed, and start brainstorming the creation of a tribe of your own; that is what makes this a successful piece.

In the end, I recommend Tribes as a book to read and share with others. If it doesn't help you, it may help someone you know. Godin stands up for a good cause and makes an interesting point. Our world does need leaders and this might be enough to spark an idea or cause someone to take action to follow their passion, while connecting and involving others in this goal. Read this book, get connected, and establish your tribe now.